Ohio GOP gubernatorial candidate Jim Renacci on Tuesday slammed President Joe Biden for considering a shutdown of the Enbridge pipeline.
In the statement, Renacci, if elected, pledged to take more decisive action to defend the energy source than incumbent Governor Mike DeWine.
Previously, DeWine wrote a letter to Michigan officials, warning his counterparts that the decision could lead to job loss and increased fuel prices.
“The attempt to shut down the Enbridge pipeline by the extreme Leftists in the Biden Administration is nothing short of criminal. The pipeline employs thousands of people, including many Ohioans. The Biden administration should be focusing on increasing our energy supply, not strangling it. As Governor, I will do everything in my power to protect Ohio’s energy jobs from the radical Left and support American-made energy. Unlike RINO Mike DeWine, I will fight like hell to ensure the Left’s radical Green New Deal agenda doesn’t hurt Ohio workers,” Renacci said in an emailed statement.
Renacci’s statement follows numerous reports that the Biden administration is considering the regional impact of shutting down the pipeline, which has been the target of attacks from prominent Democrats, like Biden and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Whitmer has continuously lobbied for the pipeline to be shut down, saying “the fate of the Great Lakes and Michigan hangs in the balance.” If Whitmer and Biden are successful, energy disruptions and price increases would be inevitable, analysts say.
Whitmer lashed out at Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after his government bypassed her to ensure an energy pipeline continues operating.
Many critics argue the termination would have dire consequences, as gas prices continue to climb throughout the country. Earlier this year, Ohio State Rep. Brian Baldridge (R-Winchester) spoke before the Michigan Senate to encourage the state to keep Enbridge Line 5 operating.
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
